Thor: Ragnarok – 2017

Score: 10/10

Marvel, oh Marvel you so funny… Another great hit from this company that seems to be capable of no wrong. Thor: Ragnarok is one of the best movies of 2017 and one of the best superhero movies of all time. You will enjoy the great action scenes, slick special effects that satisfy all tastes and also joke after joke that will make you simply adore every single character and identify with them and be emerged in their stories.

Speaking of stories, the movie manages to offer a credible one. Everything seems to happen naturally, everything is explained and the screenwriter isn’t afraid to go back to previous installments and to use footage from them while also answering some burning questions about certain characters fates. It is a great example of how to tell a story in a superhero movie and you will watch its 130 minutes without ever getting bored. There is not filler here and it is definitely the best Thor movie in the trilogy.

The characters are amazing, we love them already but here they are even more endearing and fun. This is pure joy to watch, every single one of them has character traits that helps us identify with them and they make us laugh and become invested. It is a perfect movie in terms of casting and I have to praise the impressive performances from Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins.

The special effects are another strong point of the movie. They are not over the top and they manage to integrate nicely into the action, providing flow and pacing to the interactions of the characters. The world created here is believable and it is a joy to behold, especially considering the brightness of this one compared to the previous two Thor movies. This film is amazing to look at, plain and simple.

The comedy here is at a level never seen before in a Marvel movie. Nothing is taken too seriously and the whole film feels like a gift. Taika Waititi knows how to make you laugh and relax and at the same time bring up so many powerful themes. The effects that this movie will have on the franchise and on other superhero movies that will come after it will be huge, because people will start expecting this type of madness. And to me, this is a very good thing, because when you have this high quality of humor in your blockbusters, it can only elevate them and make them more appealing to audiences.

In conclusion, Thor: Ragnarok is an amazing movie that every single one of you should see right now if they haven’t already. You will laugh out loud a million times, you will rejoice in one of the most well thought-out stories in a superhero movie and you will want to see it again as soon as it is over. A great movie to see alone, with friends, with your children, I mean seriously, you can’t go wrong with this one. And it makes me shiver with anticipation for Infinity Wars and I can’t help but ask myself what are they going to do next?! Oh, and of course, almost forgot, I also have to ask myself, what are you the God of again? 🙂

Top 10 Best Movies of 2017

10. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

It’s a phenomenon, it will be here for the foreseeable future and it’s one that you simply can’t get away from. Only for that and you should see this movie! May the force be with you! However non-canon it is!

9. Life

Life is one of the best SF movies of the last decade and one that you can re watch with the same enjoyment as the first time. I recommend this movie to any fan of SF and encourage you to prepare for one of the biggest twists I have ever seen at the end. A great movie, an amazing experience and another proof that always, no matter the circumstances and the actors involved, life always finds a way…

8. War for the Planet of the Apes

War for the planet of the Apes is a heartwarming experience and you should definitely check it out. And after you do, get on the bandwagon and support Andy Serkis for an Oscar. Even if he is just an ape, he fully deserves it. Watch this movie!

7. Get Out

Get Out is by far the best horror movie I saw in the last 10 years and right up there with the best movies of 2017. I strongly recommend this movie, a definite must see for all horror fans and a good bet to start falling in love with the genre if you have avoided it until now. You can enjoy this film even if you hate horror, because it manages to offer you something original and not get bogged down by the clichés that usually plague the genre. An amazing movie, a movie I want to see again and again. You get out only to wish you could jump straight back in…

 

6. Split

Split is worth every single minute of your time. I highly recommend this movie to everyone interested in a mesmerizing experience that brings you on the precipices of horror without actually revealing to much. There are no real monsters, because the true villain is us and we have to open our minds in order to see that. A good movie, a powerful movie, and most of all, a movie with a message that manages to entertain you instead of making you fall asleep. Split has cemented its place in the psychological horror hall of fame and we can only hope that M. Night Shyamalan is back to stay…

5. Baby Driver

Universal critical acclaim is the perfect description for this movie. You will enjoy it from the first second up until the last. Maybe the biggest revelation of 2017 and one that you simply can not afford to miss!

4. Logan

Logan is a movie that everybody should see, at least once. It is a visceral and powerful drama that shows you a character we all love at its most vulnerable. An amazing tale of power, belief and resistance. Couple this dramatic story with great cinematography, amazing acting and excellent effects and you have the recipe for a true classic, one that will be for sure a standard for future comic book movies. A simply amazing experience which I can’t recommend enough. This X has become a true legend…

3. It

It takes the cake in being the best movie adaptation of a Stephen King novel ever! It’s amazing from start to finish, filled with different types of horror that leave you shuttering and managing at the same time to escape from many of the clichés that plague the genre. It’s a masterpiece and does justice almost completely to the source material.

2. Thor: Ragnarok

Thor is back, and he is more entertaining than ever. A great movie, one that I struggled to place on the second spot because it screamed to be number one. See this film and rejoice in another Marvel masterpiece. You have to wonder by now if they can really do no wrong…

1. Dunkirk

Dunkirk is a movie you can’t afford to miss. Everybody has to see this movie because it is a visual testament to the power of humanity in front of insurmountable odds. An amazing film that fully deserves a 10 out of 10 and its place on every list of greatest movies ever made. Rejoice at the wonder that Nolan created and always remember those famous words that have shaped the history of our world:

“We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender!”

 

 

Honourable Mentions:

 

Beauty and the Beast

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Wonder Woman

The Hitman’s Bodyguard

Top 10 Blockbuster Movies of 2017

10. Transformers: The Last Knight

Yes, Transformers is on a list of best movies, fucking deal with it. It has amazing special effects, an interesting story and it manages to offer you a powerful experience. Don’t trust the critics, this one is definitely worth it.

9. War for the Planet of the Apes

This one is strange for me, because I don’t understand why it didn’t do better at the box-office. It is a great experience and you should see it regardless of what you think of the genre. It is one of the best movies of 2017.

8. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a very good movie, which I recommend to any comic book fan. A great installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a worthy successor to the first Guardians movie. Oh, and the smaller dumber Groot is by far the best plant I ever saw in a movie.

7. Kong: Skull Island

Kong: Skull Island is an amazing movie, fun to watch from start to finish. You will never be bored, as the action flows naturally, punctuated with strong actions scenes and epic fights. I highly recommend this to any fan of monsters and I am already hyped for its sequel. Godzilla vs. Kong is scheduled for release in 2020 and I can’t wait to see this true battle of titans.

6. Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is a movie that manages to save the DC extended universe and challenges for the first time the level of Marvel movies. A positive movie, a movie that manages to make you laugh and that for the first time offers us a bright and powerful imagery, leaving behind the darkness and depression of other DC entries.

5. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming is a beautiful movie and a perfect example of what Marvel can do. It is the studio’s recipe for success and it has been applied so many times that people can go into the theater knowing perfectly what they will receive.

4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

I know, I know, this is maybe the most divisive movies of 2017, but you can’t deny it, it is a phenomenon when it comes to box office results and you should not skip it, even if you are not a fan of the franchise. It is still worth your time. Join the dark side… We have cookies…

3. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Goddammit I can’t understand movie critics… I simply can’t and I give up, I don’t get why they are so stupid. I was reading reviews before watching this and I was expecting a bad movie, an ineligible plot and a festival of clichés. Instead, I got to see an amazing film, with what are sure to be the best visuals of 2017 and with a story that flows nicely, coherently and relatable. It is a joy to watch from start to finish and it is a testament for the huge talent of Luc Besson.

2. Logan

Now this is how you do a superhero movie. One of the best films I ever saw and definitely one of the best superhero movies ever made, Logan manages to offer you a perfect blend of emotion and action, making you marvel at the beautifully choreographed fights and at the same time feel emotion for every single character. It is the best movie in the X-Men series and a perfect send-off for one of the most loved characters in the franchise.

1. Thor: Ragnarok

Marvel is the best, and this Thor movie manages to offer us everything. You have action, comedy, heroes that make you want to read every single comic book in the world, and an overall feeling that you want to watch it again and again. It is simply flawless…

 

Honourable Mentions:

 

Beauty and the Beast

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Justice League

Blade Runner 2049

The Lego Batman Movie – 2017

Score: 8/10

This is how you make a funny Batman movie DC, this is how you do it! It’s actually a little bit sad to see this as a huge Batman fan, because I have to wonder why Warner Bros can do it and DC can’t. Don’t get me wrong, Christopher’s Nolan Dark Knight trilogy was simply amazing, brilliant, and a true classic of the superhero genre. But the atmosphere there is dark, heavy, and the extended DC universe has followed that trend, with Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad being dark movies, bogged down by tension and bereft of true moments of comedy. You never laugh, you are forced to watch them seriously, and that robs you of most of the pleasure.

And in the current market, having serious superhero movies without comedy doesn’t work anymore. Today’s audiences appreciate Guardians of the Galaxy, Deadpool, Thor: Ragnarok… All of them have humor, all of them do not take themselves too serious. This is an important part of any modern film actually, to be relaxed and laugh a little. DC can learn from The Lego Batman Movie. This is how you should do a Batman movie, presenting the fun aspects, without giving up on the action scenes and on the high stakes of it all. This is how you should do any superhero movie, making the audiences laugh and thus facilitating their immersion, making them identify with the characters and relate with the story.

The Lego Batman Movie does just that, it makes its audiences feel part of the story. This feeling is helped by the huge amounts of fan service in the film. It makes references to all the Batman movies, starting from the 40’, and integrates all this references in the actual story, making them feel natural. The conflict is interesting, and bringing together so many villains from different types of mediums makes for some very interesting on screen collaborations. Seeing Lord Voldemort fighting alongside King Kong, Sauron and many others is fun, and it makes you giggle. The Lego Batman feels as a weird comic book crossover multiplied by 100 and, surprisingly, it works perfectly.

The cast is amazing, with a special mention for Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis and Michael Cera. They all perform very well and manage to capture the essence of each character. The story and the characters complement each other perfectly, managing to entertain and transmit emotion at the same time. The animation is done very well, and you feel an air of nostalgia when you think about your childhood and the times you played with Legos.

The one criticism I have for the movie is that it does not have the air of uniqueness that The Lego Movie had. It’s different, and it’s a very good superhero movie, but it misses the charm of the first Lego movie, because it does not have its strong connection with the real world. Nevertheless, the sheer quality of this entry makes you forget that fact. Its 104 minutes is also a plus, being the perfect length for an action comedy. The Lego Batman Movie is created for kids, a true family movie, but will be enjoyed most by nostalgic adults who want to remember the superhero shenanigans of their childhoods…

In conclusion, a movie worth seeing, one of the best superhero animated films of all time, and a perfect way to spend an afternoon with your family. You will laugh all the way through and how can you not, when saving the world means sticking your head into someone’s ass…? 😛

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – 2017

Score: 8/10

The Guardians series is the most funny of the Marvel Universe and you go into volume 2 expecting that. And yes, you receive it in droves, as this movie tries to go even farther than its predecessor in the humor department. You are laughing all the way, and it is relaxing to see a movie of such magnitude not taking itself to serious. It makes the viewing experience more enjoyable and its success is what prompted Marvel to include more humor in Thor: Ragnarok and I guess in every single entrance of the multiverse which will follow. We like our superhero movies to be lighthearted and funny and this will not change.

The action is interesting, the special effects are amazing, and the characters are developed even further than in the first one. You learn a lot of backstory that helps define each character and you start to discover the red line of their past that makes them act the way they do. The cast is stellar, and when you have Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell all in one movie, nothing can go wrong. Every single actor delivers an amazing performance and you can see they had so much fun doing this film, which gives it an extra layer of likeability. Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer is simply amazing, and almost steals the movie with his rough humor and absurd lines. You find yourself laughing out loud in the theater and enjoying every second of it.

The story is good, a little bit convoluted in points, but streamlined quite well in the final act. The CGI is good, the grand action scenes offer enough awe to justify them, and all in all the conflict manages to keep you involved until the end. Also, speaking of action scenes, Yondu’s arrow massacre is one of the best action scenes I have ever seen in a movie, making you laugh and leaving you speechless at the same time. The action in the movie is superb and right up there with what Marvel has offered us across the years.

The movie is a little bit too long at 136 minutes and its 4 post credits scenes are starting to push the limit a little bit, especially since one of them is another useless cameo from Stan Lee. 2 post credits scenes are ok, but going past that for me is just fanboying for the sake of fanboying and nothing more. The music is good, a nice selection of songs, although I feel that they are not as fresh as the ones from the first movie.

And this brings me to my only criticism of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, that it is far too similar in my mind with the first one. It simply does not have the same wow factor and you kind of feel like you have already been there and done that. This takes away a little bit from the overall enjoyment, although it did not have an effect on the box office results, with Vol. 2 earning more than the original. I just hope that for volume 3, which is slated for a 2020 release, Marvel will change the formula a little bit and shake things up.

In conclusion, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a very good movie, which I recommend to any comic book fan. A great installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a worthy successor to the first Guardians movie. Oh, and the smaller dumber Groot is by far the best plant I ever saw in a movie. 😛